NASA's Voyager 1 enters interstellar space

The Voyager 1 spacecraft, launched by NASA on Sept. 5, 1977, left our solar system and became the first human-made object to enter interstellar space on Thursday.

This artist rendering released by NASA shows NASAís Voyager 1 spacecraft barreling through space. The space agency announced Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013 that Voyager 1 has become the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space, or the space between stars, more than three decades after launching from Earth.

NASA

Voyager would carry with it into space a variety of sounds from Earth on a golden record. Natural sounds, greetings in 55 languages and multicultural music play aboard the craft. Included in that playlist are selections by Bach, Beethoven and Chuck Berry.

This artist rendering released by NASA shows NASAís Voyager 1 spacecraft in space. The space agency announced Thursday, Sept. 12, 2013 that Voyager 1 has become the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space, or the space between stars, more than three decades after launching from Earth.

NASA

This undated artist’s concept depicts NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft entering interstellar space, or the space between stars. NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft is officially the first human-made object to venture into interstellar space, according to a NASA statement. The 36-year-old probe is about 12 billion miles (19 billion kilometres) from our sun.

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An undated artist’s concept shows NASA’s Voyager 1 spacecraft. The Voyager 1 is officially the first human-made object to venture into interstellar space, according to a NASA statement. The 36-year-old probe is about 12 billion miles (19 billion kilometres) from our sun.

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In this photo by NASA/JPL-Caltech, Voyager 2 is seen launching on Aug. 20, 1977 â€” about two weeks before Voyager 1 would launch on Sept. 5. According to nasa.gov, the reversed order of launch was due to the two different trajectories the spacecraft would take and, even though it launched second, Voyager 1 would reach Jupiter and Saturn first.